2020 Immigration Trends Report: 6 Key Findings

Mobility remains imperative to employers and today’s talent, even as the immigration landscape changes

The 2020 Immigration Trends Report from Envoy Global drives home the fact that mobility is more important than ever as the U.S. enters the next decade of the workforce. Over the past year, employers saw the demand for foreign talent increase at a rapid pace, outdated immigration processes remained a pain point for HR professionals and two-way talent took on new significance as employees looked for meaningful outbound assignments.

Six emerging immigration trends employers should know about in 2020

1. Companies are using immigration to address skills gaps and a tight labor market while fostering the diverse workforce that the current generation of American workers desire.

Immigration is becoming more critical to employers as high-skilled labor shortages intensify in both the U.S. and globally. This year's Immigration Trends Report found that 85% of employers expect their company’s foreign national headcount to increase or remain the same in the next year, a 6% increase from 2019. Meanwhile, it has become clear that organizational diversity is playing a significant role in the competition for talent: 40% of employers reported that recruiting a diverse workforce was the primary driver in the growth of their immigration work, the single largest reason among respondents.

2. Government scrutiny over immigration remains high, and employers are most challenged by a lack of efficiency, transparency and visa availability.

Despite the clear importance of foreign talent in the current economy, only 16% of survey respondents said the visa application process has become easier under the current administration, while 38% said it has become more difficult. Beyond the often-cited increase in requests for evidence (RFEs) and application denials, 34% of employers reported a lack of transparency as one of their biggest pain points in the immigration process, up from 25% in 2019.

3. More employers are sponsoring foreign nationals for green cards than in any year since 2016, and they’re starting the process earlier in an employee’s tenure.

Employers are looking to provide foreign nationals with the stability and security that comes with permanent residency, particularly in the face of political uncertainty. This year, 71% of employers said their company has sponsored a foreign national for permanent residence before, up from 66% in 2019. As green card applicants face an unprecedented backlog and long wait times, employers are starting the green card process much earlier in an employee’s tenure: 81% of employers that sponsor green cards start the process within or upon the first year of an employee’s service, up from 66% in 2019.

4. Leading up to the 2020 presidential election, legislators have proposed substantially more changes with the potential to impact U.S. work authorization.

This election season, employment-based immigration reform is an important issue for business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, students and university administrators. When asked about the proposed Fairness For High-Skilled Immigrants Act, a piece of bipartisan legislation that would change per-country caps on employment-based green cards, responses were mixed: 36% of employers said it would make hiring and retaining foreign nationals easier, but 31% said would make it harder on their organizations. Meanwhile, 71% of employers said they would support the creation of a “Heartland visa” for rural areas.

5. Non-U.S. global assignments are increasingly a strategic aspect of both talent acquisition and employee development.

As proof that restrictive aspects of the American immigration system are creating opportunities in other countries, 48% of employers said that placing or hiring high-skilled talent for whom they were unable to secure work authorization in the U.S. was the primary driver for their outbound immigration assignments. Global assignments also factor into employee development and retention strategies, with 31% of employers listing rotational programs used to reward or develop high potential employees as the primary force behind their outbound immigration work. Another 36% listed succession planning as the main driver.

6. Canada continues to establish itself as a compelling destination for the world’s top talent, and employers are targeting the country as an alternative to U.S. assignments.

While some countries restrict immigration, Canada is taking full advantage with new, fast-track immigration pathways (e.g. Global Talent Stream) to encourage more high-skilled immigration, and it’s working: 74% of employers surveyed in our report said they considered Canada’s immigration policy to be more favorable than the U.S. and 51% of employers said they were considering Canada for their company’s expansion, up from 38% the previous year. Employers cited ease of application, shorter case processing times, and a more favorable permanent residency process as aspects of the country’s immigration system that they find beneficial.

About The Immigration Trends Report

The national survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll from Oct. 30 to Nov. 19, 2019, with 433 HR professionals and hiring managers participating across a variety of industries and company sizes. Questions covered internal and external global immigration processes and challenges.

Envoy is pleased to provide you this information, which was prepared in collaboration with Stephanie Lewin, who is the Head of Global Immigration at Envoy Global.

Content in this publication is not intended as legal advice, nor should it be relied on as such. For additional information on the issues discussed, consult an Envoy-affiliated attorney or another qualified professional.

Stephanie Lewin

envoy

Stephanie Lewin is an executive and corporate lawyer, specializing in immigration, employment, compliance and global mobility strategy and policy for large and mid-sized companies. Stephanie’s global work experience includes government, in-house counsel, law firm and corporate roles. She is an award-winning customer service advocate and contributor to Dot Complicated on Wharton Business Radio. Stephanie currently serves as Envoy Global’s Head of Global Immigration and brings with her more than 20 years of immigration experience. Before joining Envoy, she served as Senior Counsel for Global Immigration at Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL), and also held management positions at Crown World Mobility and Emigra Worldwide in London. Earlier in her career, Stephanie worked at the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and was an in-house counsel for a Fortune 500 company.

Founded in 1998, Envoy is a global immigration services provider offering the only immigration management platform that makes it seamless for companies to hire and manage an international workforce. We combine expert legal representation and proprietary technology to bring efficiency and transparency to the immigration process for employers and employees. Through our platform and services, we empower companies to acquire the best talent regardless of where they live, manage their entire global workforce and enable employees to take advantage of business opportunities around the globe. Envoy serves over 1,000 customers ranging from fast-growth startups to Fortune 50 corporations.